Room divider partitions



Sept. 12, 1961 o. R. LUDWIG ETAL RooM DIVIDER PARTITIONS 3 Sheets-Sheec1 Filed May 26, 1960 INVENTORS OSKAR R. LUDWIG ANTHONY PEZONE AT RNgv.

Sept. 12, 1961 o. R. LUDWIG ETAL 2,999,568

ROOM DIVIOER PARTITIONS Filed May 26, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4.

INVENTORS OSKAR R. LUDWIG ANTHONY PEZONE Bg ,@fu ATTO NEY.

Sept. 12, 1961 o. R. LUDWIG ETAL 2,999,568

ROOM DIVIDER PARTITIONS Filed May 26, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 6. 22

! INVENTORS l osKAR R. LUDWIG i ANTHONY pEzoNE ATTOR EY.

United States Patent O 2,999,568 ROOM DIVIDER PARTITIONS Oskar R. Ludwigand Anthony Pezone, both of 64--25 72nd Ave., Middle Village, N.Y. FiledMay 26, 1960, Ser. No. 31,977 4 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This inventionrelates to vertical partitions of the type commonly used as space orroom dividers. More specifically, the invention relates to room dividerpartitions of the type generally known as single-line partitions.

Room divider partitions of the general character under discussioncomprise a plurality of horizontally spaced vertical posts and aplurality of panels mounted on said posts. The posts are usually securedto the Hoor and may, in addition, be secured to the ceiling. The panelsmay be opaque and made of such materials as sheet steel, plywood and thelike, or they may be light-transmitting in the sense of being providedwith glass window panes which are either translucent or transparentdepending upon the requirements of each given installation.

In partitions of this general character, the post is usually exposed toview and there are at least two visible lines of juncture between eachpost and its adjacent panel structure. Sometimes four lines of junctureare visible at each post. In such case the post is flanked on both sidesby cover strips which conceal the connecting elements between the postsand the panels. There are two lines of juncture between the post andsaid cover strips and two additional lines of juncture between saidcover strips and ythe panels.

` It is the object of this invention to provide a partition structure ofthe character described wherein the posts are concealed from view andthe panel structures are placed edge to edge with only a single line ofjuncture between each adjacent pair.

This type of partition is known in the trade as a single-line partitionand it is generally preferred over the two-line or four-line partitionsabove mentioned.

There is no serious difficulty in building single-line partitions of thepermanent type, that is, partitions which are permanently installed. Thedifficulty arises in constructing single-line partitions which canreadily be assembled and disassembled. The problem is to provideconnecting means between the post and the panel structures, suchconnecting means to be concealed and yet readily accessible. By the sametoken, the post should also be concealed and equally readily accessible.In a single-line partition construction nothing is visible but the panelstructures themselves and the single lines of juncture between them.

The object of the present invention is attained by the provision of dualor double posts between adjacent panel sections and connecting meansbetween each pair of such posts. The posts are open channels disposedwith their open sides in facing relationship. The connecting means issituated within and between said open channeted posts. Access to saidconnecting means may be had at the base of the posts, normally coveredby a molding strip.

The essential feature of the connecting means resides in the provisionof a locking element which is movable vfrom a position wholly within oneof the channel-shaped posts to a position across the line of juncturebetween the posts, extending partly into each post. When the lockingmember is lodged in its first-mentioned position, namely, wholly withinone of the channel-shaped posts, there is no locking action between saidlocking member and said posts. When the locking member is disposed inits secondmentioned position, that is, between the two posts andprojecting partly into each of them, the two posts are locked againstrelative movement laterally or transversely 2,999,563 Patented Sept. l2,1961 ICC of the partition plane. In short, the locking member functionsas an obstacle to block such relative movement between the two posts.

The movement of the locking member from its rstmentioned or unlockedposition to its second-mentioned or locked position may be eitected byvarious means and in various ways. Preferred is the cam mechanism shownin the drawing whereby the locking member is cammed laterally intolocking position when it is moved upwardly and whereby said lockingmember is cammed laterally into unlocking position when it is moveddownwardly. Such vertical movement either upwardly or downwardly of thelocking member may be effected manually at the base of the posts.

Although the invention is applicable to partition structures made ofvarious materials and in various designs, it is illustrated in thedrawing solely in connection with one particular kind of sheet metalpartition construction. This, however, will be understood as merelyillustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention.

The principles of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which FiGURE l is a perspective view of a number ofpartitions rnade in accordance with one form of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged, horizontal section on the line 2*2of FIGURE l, showing the posts and connections between two adjacentpanel sections.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section on the line 3 3of FIGURE l, also showing the posts and connections between adjacentpanel sections.

FIGURE 4 is another enlarged fragmentary, vertical section taken on theline 4 4 of FIGURE 2, said section being in a plane which intersects theplane of the section of FIGURE 3 at right angles, the locking memberbeing shown in locking position. Y

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section similar to that of FIG- URE 4 but showingthe lockingV member in unlocked position.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal section on the lined--6 of FIGURE l showing the present invention applied to partitionsprovided with window panes.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of one of the components of the partitionstructure herein claimed, said component being also shown in plan viewin FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary, perspective, exploded view of several of thecomponents of the partition structure herein claimed.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary, horizontal section in exploded view showingsome of the components of the partion structure herein claimed.

Referring now to FIGURE l of the drawing, it will be observed that theinvention may be applied to solid or opaque wall partitions 10 and alsoto windowed partilions 12 as well as to any other conventional type ofroom dividing partitions of the character under discussion. Partitions10 consist of a plurality of sheet metal panels and supporting posts 14and such additional conventional frameworkl as may be required.Partitions 12 consist of a plurality of sheet metal panels having glasswindows 16 installed therein. These partitions 12 are also provided withsupporting posts 14 and such additional `conventional framework as maybe desired. The upper and lower molding strips 18 and Ztl respectivelymay be conventional although said lower molding strips 20 are hereinused for a purpose which is not conventional. This purpose will shortlybe described..

Supporting posts 14 are channel members which may be secured byconventional means to a oor and, in some cases, to a ceiling. The methodand means of holding said posts in place are not herein claimed. It willbe understood that each panel section is provided with two 3 suchchannel-shaped posts 14, one along each vertical side edge thereof.Since the panel sections are placed side by side in typical partitionarrangement each supporting post of .each panel section will be disposedimmediately adjacent and facing the supporting posts of the adjoiningpanel. This arrangement is -best shown in FIGURE 2. It will also be seenin FIGURE 2 that the sheet metal sides 22 of each panel section are bentinwardly at right angles at their respective end portions to formtransverse end walls 22a, said end walls having a pair of flangeportions 22h formed thereon in parallel relation to each Vother andparallel to the sheet metal sides 22, said ilanges 2217 being themselvesprovided with inwardly bent end portions 22C which are aligned with eachother and are parallel to the end walls 22a.

End walls 22a abut the forward edges 14a of channel 14, side flanges 22babut the side walls 14h of said channel on the inner facing sidesthereof, and end portions 22e abut yoke or web 14e of said channel.

Struck out of said yoke or web 14C, inwardly thereof, and atpredetermined locations thereon are locking clips 3Q. These lockingclips are best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. Locking bars 32 are providedfor such locking clips,.one locking bar for each clip. It will be seenin FIGURE 2 that locking bars 32 are interposed between the lockingclips on the one hand and the end portions 22e of the sheet metal panelsides on the other hand, thereby clamping said end portions 22C againstthe yoke or web 14e of the channel. It is by this means that the sheetmetal panels are detachably secured to the channel-shaped supportingposts 14. W'hen the end walls 22a of each pair of adjacent panelsections abut each other, as shown in FGURE 2, only a single line ofjuncture is visible between such adjacent panel sections, on their outerexposed sides.

Thus far it has been shown how each panel section is mounted on itschannel-shaped posts 14. What will now be described is the method oflocking adjacent posts 14 to each other and blocking out the light thatmight otherwise penetrate between the end walls 22a of the adjacentpanel sections.

Tie clips 4U are secured, preferably by welding, to the upperends of theyoke or web portions of the channelshaped posts 14. Each such tie clipis provided with a liirs't vertical flange 49a which is secured to saidyoke or web, a horizontal flange portion 4Gb which extends outwardly atright angles from said vertical ange 40a, and a second vertical flange40C which depends from the horizontal flange 4tlb. There is a diagonallybent portion 40d at the lower end of vertical flange 40e and a thirdvertical ange 40e which depends from said diagonal portion 40d. It willbe noted in FIGURE 4 that vertical iianges 40C of adjacent tie clips 4t?are disposed in spaced parallel relationship to each other as byvertical anges 40e, the latter being situated closer to each other thanthe vertical flanges dile. Indeed, it may be found desirable to abutsaid ilanges 40e against each other.

Situated adjacent each tie clip 411 is a guide clip or bracket 42. Saidguide clip is provided with a vertical Vange 42a which is secured,preferably by welding, to the yoke or web channel post 14. Projectingdiagonally outwardly and upwardly from vertical flange 42a is a diagonalflange or cam 42h, projecting upwardly from said diagonal portion is asecond vertical ilange 42e and projecting horizontally therefrom andtoward the web or yoke channel post 14 is a horizontal flange 42d. Itwill now be observed in FIGURE 4 that the vertical flanges 42C of eachpair of adjacent guide clips 42 are disposed in spaced 'parallelrelation'to each other, paralleling and overlapping the vertical anges4th' of the adjacent tie clips. Horizontal flanges 42d of each pair ofadjacent guide clips are horizontally aligned and their end portionsabutthe yoke or web of their respective channel-shaped posts 14.

Also secured to the web or yoke of one of the channelshaped postsof eachpair of such posts is a Vsecond guide 4 i clip 44. Said second guideclip is provided with a vertical flange 44a which is welded or otherwisesecured to said yoke or web and a diagonal ange 44h which projectsupwardly and diagonally from said vertical ange 44a. A locking channelSi) is provided for and between each pair of adjacent channel-shapedposts 14. Secured to the upper end of said locking channel 50 is aU-shaped member 52 which closes olf said channel at its said upper endand forms what may be described as a box section or sleeve. At the lowerend of the locking channel is a notch which performs a function shortlyto be described.

VCut-out portions 56 are formed in the yokes or webs of thechannel-shaped posts 14 adjacent their lower ends. A tie clip 53 ofinverted U-shape projects through said cut-outs 56 of adjacent Vposts14, engages the yokes or webs of said posts and ties them together attheir lower ends.

When locking channel 50 is disposed wholly within one of thechannel-shaped posts 14, as shown in FIGURE 5, it is -in unlockedposition. U-shaped member 52 rests on diagonal guide flange or tongue44b and the locking channel is thereby supported in said unlockedposition. When it is desired to move said locking channel into lockingposition between the two adjacent channel-shaped posts 14, it is movedupwardly inthe direction of arrow 60 shown in FIGURE 5. The U-shapedmember 52 cams its way along the adjacent diagonal flange 42b oftheguide clip or bracket 42. This is indicated by dotted lines Stia in-FIG.5. Further upward movement of the locking channel will bring it into itslocking position as shown in FIGURE 4, flanges 400,466! and 4de of thetie clips 4t) projecting into the box section formed at the upper end ofsaid locking channel and flanges 42C of the guide clips 4Z abutting theouter sides of said box section.V More specifically, one of said anges42C 'abuts the yoke of the U- shaped member 52, and the other flange 42Cabuts vthe yoke or web of the locking channel proper. It will thus beseen that the box section at the upper end of said locking channel isnot only held centrally in place between the two channel posts 14 but italso performs the function of tying the upper ends of said posts 14together. The lower end of the locking channel projects downwardly andis supported by a vertical plate 62. Said vertical plate 62 extendsbetween said posts 14 and it stands on tie clip 58. It will be observedin FIGURE 4, for example, that the sheet metal side panels do not extendthe full distance to the floor. A space 66 is accordingly left betweenthe two channel-shaped posts 14 which would otherwise be occupied by theend walls 22aV of the sheet metal panels. It is through this space 66that vertical plate 62 may project and it is held in vertical positionby reason of its abutment against the `forward edges 14a of the sideflanges of said channel-shaped posts 14.

The upper end of vertical plate 62 projects into notch S4 of the lockingchannel and. supports the locking channel in its locking position asshown in FIGURE 4.

The locking channel isnow disposed betweenthe side walls of the adjacentchannel-shaped posts 14 and this prevents any lateral shifting ordislodgment of either of Vsaid posts relative to the other.

following procedure takes place: Supporting plate 62 is removed from itssupporting position shown in FIGURE 4. Locking channel Si) is now freeto be moved downwardly to its unlocking position as shown in FIGURE 5.This involves a sideward movement of the locking channel in addition toits downward movement. The sideward movement is caused by reason of acamming action of diagonal tongue or flange 44b against the lower edgeof the yoke of U-shaped member 52.

It will now be understood that when it is desired to -shift the lockingchannel from one position to another,

access may be had thereto 4throughout cut-outs 56 in the lchannel-shapedposts 14. Lower molding strips`20 are Y Should it now be desired to movethe locking channel to unlocking position, the

Y s rst removed in order to expose the lower ends of said posts andthereby to gain access to the locking channel. It -will be notedparticularly in FIGURE 8 that the supporting plate 62 has a hole 62aformed therein. This hole registers in great part with cutouts 56 inposts y14 when said plate 62 is disposed in its supporting position ontie clip 58. Cut-outs 56 and opening 62a may be utilized as passagewaysfor electrical conductors and similar equipment threaded through theapparatus.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 6, 7 and 9, it will be observedthat the present invention may be applied to windowed panel sections asshown in FIGURE l.

Sheet metal frames 70 are provided on opposite sides of eachchannelshaped post 14. Each said frame consists of a side wall 70a, pairof spaced, parallel, transverse anges 70b and 70e, respectively, an endange 70d connected to flange 70o and disposed in spaced parallelrelation to the side wall 70a, another flange 70e connected to llange70b in spaced, parallel relation to wall 70a, and an end flange 70jcconnected to flange 70e in parallel relation vto the end flanges 70b and70e. A plate 72 is disposed against the outer walls of channel-shapedpost 14 to serve as a core supporting the sheet metal frames 70 in theshape indicated in the drawing. Plate 72 is a modied I-shaped memberhaving a centrally disposed tab portion 72a projecting outwardlytherefrom. The transverse end portions 72b and 72e of said I-shapedplate 72 provide the cores for said sheet metal frames 70 and, in turn,said sheet metal frames lock said I-shaped plate 72 in place againstchannel-shaped posts 14.

Turning now particularly to FIGURE 6, it will be observed that channels74 are placed between anges 70d of the sheet metal frames and tab 72a ofthe I-shaped plate 72. These channels 74 serve as retaining members forthe glass panes or windows 16. The side edges of said glass panes abuttab 72a and lateral shifting of the glass panes is accordinglyprevented. Conventional means may be used to fasten the glass panes inplace, for example, putty 76.

The foregoing is illustrative of preferred forms of this invention andit will be understood that these preferred forms may be modilied andother forms may be provided within the broad principles of the inventionand the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A partition construction of the character described, comprising aplurality of individual panel sections joined together to form a singlepartition, each said panel section being provided with end posts ofchannel shape, a locking member being disposed between the adjacentchannel-shaped posts of adjoining panel sections, said locking memberbeing movable from a position wholly within one of said channel posts toa position partly with`a in each of said channel posts, said latterposition being its locking position and the former being its unlockedposition, said locking member being a channel provided with a boxsection at its upper end, one of said channelshaped posts having a pairof cam faces provided thereon for engagement with said box section ofthe locking channel, said locking channel being movable upwardly tobring its box section into engagement with one of said cam faces,thereby causing said locking channel to be cammed from its unlockedposition wholly within said last-mentioned channel-shaped post to itslocking position extending across and overlapping both channel-shapedposts, said locking channel being movable downwardly to bring said boxsection into engagement with the second cam face in order to cam saidlocking channel back to its unlocked position wholly within saidfirst-mentioned channel-shaped post.

2. A partition construction in accordance with claim l, wherein eachchannel-shaped post is provided at: its upper end with a clip and abracket situated a spaced distance from said clip, said box sectionbeing engageable with the clips of adjacent channel-shaped posts to tie:said posts together at their upper ends, said box section being alsoadapted to abut the brackets on said adjacent channelshaped posts toprovide a rigid connection between them.

3. A partition construction in accordance with claim l wherein guidemeans are provided at the upper ends of the channel-shaped posts tocenter the upper end of the locking member between them, this being the4locking position of said locking member, a supporting member beingremovably supported at the lower end of said channel-shaped posts,between said posts, and adapted to sup port the lower end of saidlocking member.

4. A partition construction in accordance with claim l, wherein eachpanel section is provided with sheet metal sides, said sheet metal sidesbeing wrapped around said channel-shaped posts, their marginal endportions being in abutment with the yoke portions of said channel-shapedposts, tongues being provided on said yoke portions and locking barsbeing clamped between said tongues and said marginal end portions of thesheet metal sides in order to `secure said sheet metal sides to saidchannel-shaped posts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,132,601 Bell Oct. 11, 1938 2,202,881 Winslow June 4, 1940 2,577,881Dugas Dec. 11, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 806,484 Germany July 8, 1949

